SWEENEY: CHRISTIE’S ‘MANDATE-FREE’ PLAN WILL SLASH THERAPY & TREATMENTS FOR NEW JERSEY CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

SWEENEY:  CHRISTIE’S ‘MANDATE-FREE’ PLAN WILL SLASH MEDICAL THERAPY & TREATMENTS FOR NEW JERSEY CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

(SEWELL)  -- Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) today said that Right Wing Conservative Republican Chris Christie’s proposal for “mandate-free” plans would be disastrous, since it would give health insurance companies in New Jersey free reign to drop coverage for critical treatment for children with autism.

Sweeney is a co-sponsor of the new law that Governor Jon S. Corzine signed last Thursday that now requires health insurers in New Jersey to pay for therapy for children with autism-spectrum disorders.

“Children living with autism deserve the opportunity to live as fulfilling and independent lives as any one of us,” said Sweeney. “Christie wants to allow insurers to skirt their responsibility to help New Jersey families cover the growing costs of these treatments which are vital to the development of children with autism.  He wants to wipe this bill out before the ink is even dry on the Governor’s signature.”

The new law requires New Jersey health insurers to cover the costs of therapy and treatment for autism-spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities up to $36,000 each year.  Specifically, it mandates health insurance providers to cover medically-needed autism therapies including:  physical, speech, occupational therapy and evidence-based behavioral interventions for children up to age 21.

“It’s outrageous that Christie would let insurers off the hook – they should cover these treatments that can make a real difference in the lives of children with developmental disabilities and their families,” said Sweeney. “Governor Corzine and Democrats in the Legislature worked hard to make New Jersey a national leader in providing support for the thousands of families who are living with the challenges of autism.  Christie would stop New Jersey’s progress and families would again have to mortgage their futures to pay for the immediate health needs of their children.”

Sweeney said the Governor’s running mate, Loretta Weinberg, also has been a strong advocate for New Jersey families with a loved one with autism.  He said that as prime sponsor of the new law she worked tirelessly to ensure the legislation passed both the Senate and Assembly in June.
 
The Senator said that Christie would give insurance companies free-reign to drop coverage for life-changing treatments for children with developmental disabilities with his proposal for stripped-down, “mandate-free” policies.  Sweeney said Christie’s plan would be tantamount to cutting coverage, as even the director of Rutgers University Center for State Health Policy, Joel Cantor, said that “mandate-free” policies would effectively be a “repeal of the mandates.” [Christie for Governor Website, http://christiefornj.com/issues/affordable-health-insurance.html]

One child out of every 94 in New Jersey is diagnosed with autism – the highest reported rate in the nation according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Nationally, the rate is one in every 150 children.